


Seven Roses

by TheEffinMitchell



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-11
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-11-30 18:44:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11469465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEffinMitchell/pseuds/TheEffinMitchell
Summary: A series of prompts for White Rose Week 2017.[Day 1: Protection"Two days. Six hours. Thirty-three minutes. That's how long it takes for Weiss to wake up.One minute. Seven seconds. Four words. That's how long it takes for Weiss to wish that she hadn't."Or, Weiss is injured protecting Ruby, and  - at the prompting of Jacques Schnee - a guilty Ruby tries (unsuccessfully) to break up with her. ]





	Seven Roses

**Author's Note:**

> I made it in time to post this for Day 1 on Tumblr, but I'm a little late in posting it here. But hey, that just means you'll get two posts in one day, though I'll probably be posting today's (day 2) prompt as late as I did the first. Eh, details! Anyway, this was written all very last minute, as I didn't fully commit to joining until basically last night, so I apologize for any errors or if it just sucks in general. 
> 
> Regardless, I'm having a blast reading everyone's submissions, and I can't wait to see what the rest of this week brings!

Ruby wonders if it’s possible to love any single one person more than any other else in the world  - more than family, than friends, than even oneself. It scares her because she thinks it might be true; terrifies her because she might actually believe it with her whole heart. And when she looks at Weiss, all sharp wit and soft edges, she doesn’t have to wonder any longer. Because she knows, without shadow of a doubt, that love is the most powerful driving force on the planet - perhaps in all the universe - and that the love she holds for Weiss Schnee is the kind that moves mountains.

Ruby would give just about anything to watch Weiss succeed, to see her reach all her dreams and aspirations. She wants her to have the life that she deserves, even if that means she herself can’t be a part of it.

Because sometimes… mountains aren’t what need to be moved.

* * *

_“Surely you must understand that this is your fault.”_

_Ruby’s eyes flicker briefly as Jacques Schnee steps into place beside her, taking in the crisp white suit and perfectly combed hair, his mustache as stupid as ever but always well-maintained. And then she looks, subtly if she can, at her own self, shirt torn and cape tattered, unkempt and battle worn. She’s grown, in more ways than one, in the years since she began her journey through Beacon, but even with an increase of height, skill, knowledge, and experience, she still feels as small and as insignificant as she did the first day she met him._

_“It was an accident,” she murmurs, a breath above a whisper._

_“It was a mistake!” he retorts, biting and cold. “_ **_Your_ ** _mistake. And my daughter suffered for it.”_

 _She turns, fully this time, and faces him. Her eyes narrow, sharpened like steel, no longer meek nor silent as her lips twist into a scowl and she replies, “As if you really care! You never have, and you never will! Weiss is nothing more than an asset to you, and you know it! The only reason you’re here is because you want to make sure that your_ **_investment_ ** _is still safe… not out of any sense of duty, or fatherhood…”_

_Ruby glares, aura crackling with agitation, unseen but felt as she finishes, “We both know you don’t care, so stop pretending that you do.”_

_Jacques has the decency to look indignant by the accusation, but its a pitiful attempt as he falls over his words. He stumbles, like a child not yet taught to walk, and through her anger, Ruby feels a twinge of sadness that he can’t even find it within himself to feign love for his youngest daughter. Eventually, even he realizes the futility of his endeavor, and simply straightens his jacket with an indifferent sniff._

_“Thought so,” she scoffs beneath her breath. Ignoring his presence, Ruby returns her attention to her earlier task, slipping her hand once more through Weiss’s, standing steadfast and on guard over the unconscious Schnee. It had been well over 24 hours since the incident, and no amount of pleading from Yang to rest or eat would be enough to tear her away - not until Weiss was awake and she could see for herself that she’d be okay._

_“... I do care for her,” Jacques tries again, this time more quietly. “In what capacity, well… that’s not your concern. She_ ** _is_** _an investment, but all children are. I don’t expect you to understand that until you are a parent yourself, and even then, you may never fully comprehend the lengths that I have gone to ensure that my children and my family are provided for - no matter the cost. My children are my legacy, and when I leave this earth, I damn sure will be leaving only the best behind._

_“Winter has renounced her birthright as eldest, and Whitley, while preferable for his ambition…” he pauses, shaking his head, “well, the boy is reckless and flamboyant with our name and fortune, and would squander generations of Schnee wealth in a matter of moments. Weiss, though she takes much after her elder sister, is both driven and practical, making her the logical choice in heir.”_

_“And?” Ruby interjects, rolling her eyes._

_“_ **_And_ ** _,” he emphasizes, “Weiss is destined to lead our family, and our business to continued greatness. I let her attend Beacon only for the purpose of compliance, and allowed her to chase this silly dream of becoming a Huntress because she has, as she does with all her passing fancies, gotten bored of past interests and hobbies. And I knew that if I held her back, she would only find other ways to rebel. Furthermore, it is a boon to the Schnee reputation to have a child serve as a guardian against the Grimm, and her experience in combat is certain to earn respect from board members and other affluent members of elite society alike.”_

_“However,” he goes on, “I am not above withdrawing her from Beacon, especially when it comes to personal safety. Weiss was tutored and trained by the most accomplished Hunters money can buy, and though physical danger is hazard of the job, it was not lack of skill that led to her condition now…”_

_Ruby cringes as he rips her from Weiss’s side, aggravating wounds and injuries she’d refused treatment for as he squeezes and shakes her already rattled frame._ **_“It. Was. You.”_ **

_“S-stop, let go,” she growls, breaking free as she reverses their position and pins him against the wall. “Don’t test me!”_

_“Or what?” he scoffs, smug despite Ruby’s grip. “You can’t do anything to me. You have no power. You are literally a nobody, and sooner or later, Weiss will realize that. Whatever it is my daughter sees in you… well, I can tell you right now, whatever you think makes you special enough to be with her, Weiss can find in someone else - someone good enough to be her equal.”_

_Her hold slackens until she eventually let’s go, stepping back as if to distance herself from what she refuses to believe is true. “You’re wrong,” says Ruby, but she doesn’t sound so sure. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d had these thoughts herself, and to hear Weiss’s father say them aloud was to give them a voice other than her own._

_“You may not believe it, but I do care for my daughter… in my own ways,” he says, smoothing out his tie. “But your influence has made her sloppy, and I am of half the mind to march to Ozpin’s office this very second and remove her from the academy. However, it is rather unbecoming of the Schnee name to drop out of school - regardless of the profession - and Weiss will only be more unruly should I take her away only a year from graduation. And though I am willing to handle her disruptive behavior, I have a proposition for you instead. One where we both get what we want… with some compromise, of course."_  
  
_Ruby eyes him warily, fully aware that no matter the deal, she won't be coming out on top. "And what do you propose?" she asks, crossing her arms._  
  
_"Break up with her," he replies, almost immediately. "It is obvious that Weiss's affection for you is what led to her injury, and though I can't prohibit you from seeing her altogether - what with school, and your role as teammates - I want you to cut off all romantic ties. You are an unnecessary distraction, and a relationship with you serves no purpose in her life except to take attention away from what really matters._

_“I’m not asking you to give her up completely. As I said, you are still classmates and partners, and friendship is acceptable so long as it doesn't get in the way of her studies, or inhibits her ability to properly fight. All I ask is that you put a stop to this nonsense and move on.”_

_“So, let me get this straight,” Ruby begins, tentatively, as if testing the words on her tongue. “You’re going to take Weiss out of Beacon, but she can stay so long as I break up with her? That’s basically the jist of it, isn’t it?”_

_He nods, almost sounding impressed, “Perhaps you’re not as daft as you appear.”_

_“And maybe you’re as stupid as that overgrown caterpillar you call a mustache!” she bites back, hands clenching into fists. “That’s not a proposition, it’s fucking extortion is what that is!”_

_“Call it what you like,” Jacques shrugs, “but the fact of the matter is that I hold all the power here. Nothing you say or do can change that, but I am giving you the chance to keep Weiss in your life. It’s some or none, but you can’t have it all… the decision is up to you.”_

_“But… I…”_

_“But nothing,” he ejects, silencing the teen. “One day you will see that this was for the best. You are both young, you'll get over it. Weiss will find someone new, someone worthy of her name and pedigree, and so too will you.”_

_Ruby’s chest tightens, a lump of gravel and sand sitting on her throat, burying her protests in a shallow grave of defeat. Maybe one day, a long time from now, she’ll find someone new… but it’s hard to think it could ever be that easy._

* * *

Two days. Six hours. Thirty-three minutes. That's how long it takes for Weiss to wake up.

One minute. Seven seconds. Four words. That's how long it takes for Weiss to wish that she hadn't.

“We need to talk,” says Ruby, and Weiss knows it's over before it's even begun, knows by the dull gleam in her eyes that this is the end. The end of what, she isn't entirely sure, but it's enough to set her on edge, even as she nods her head and motions for the girl to come and sit beside her.

Ruby opts to stand, which only sends up further red flags, and if Weiss was nervous before, she's outright scared now. Because she had taken the full brunt and poison of a Death Stalker’s stinger, and while that may not have been enough to kill her, what's to come, she feels surely will.

“What's on your mind?” she asks, attempting to sound casual despite the rapid beating of her not yet broken heart (but oh, does she know it's coming). Ruby’s smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes, lips weak and wobbly, staring at Weiss with a look that is both adoring and defeated. It says more than words ever will, and she fights for composure as the younger girl begins to speak.

“You’re my best friend,” she starts, staring over Weiss’s head, too ashamed to look her directly in the eye. “We’ve been through a lot together these past three years, and I want you to know that I... “ here, she chokes, swallowing a lump and shaking her head before continuing, “I want you to know that I… I _cherish_ you and your friendship, and I want you to know that you mean the absolute world to me. But I… I think that maybe, somewhere through it all, I may have… misunderstood my feelings for you…”

“Misunderstood?” Weiss repeats, and it’s all the strength she has to say.

Ruby averts her gaze, head dropping low, and somewhere along the way, Weiss’s heart falls with it. “Yeah,” she says, licking her lips that are suddenly too chapped and too dry. “I mean, we didn’t have the greatest start when we came to Beacon, and I guess maybe I was just so excited when you finally let me in that I… overestimated my feelings?”

“Are you asking, or are you telling?” Weiss quips, anguish quickly giving way to annoyance.

“T-telling,” Ruby stutters in reply, face as red as her namesake. “I… I’m _telling_ you. I made a mistake, and when… when you saved me from that Death Stalker, you could have died, and I knew then that I… I didn’t want there to be anymore lies between us…”

“Like how you’re _lying_ to me right now?” Weiss shoots coolly, piercing blue eyes narrowed into shards of ice.

“I-... no, I’m not? What? I mean, what are you-” The scythe wielder stammers her way through some semblance of defense, but it’s to no avail. Weiss knows Ruby almost better than she knows herself; has spent the better part of the past three years learning the language of her eyes, reading every tick of emotion to cross her face, and deciphering the meaning behind every forced or fake smile. She knows a lie when she sees one, and this entire conversation is riddled with them.

“You are so full of _bullshit_ right now, I’m surprised your name isn’t Adam Taurus,” she spits, and if she weren’t still laid up in this hospital bed, and if Ruby hadn’t stood so far that she was practically halfway out the door, Weiss is certain she’d slap the girl for thinking her a fool. “I know _exactly_ what you’re doing Ruby Rose, and I won’t stand for it. I heard my father. I heard what he said, and what he threatened to do.”

Weiss’s jaw tenses, teeth clenched as she fights back the pinprick of tears clouding her vision. “I thought… I thought perhaps that I had dreamt it. I was in and out of consciousness so often, I could barely tell what was real and what was not. But I see now that what I thought was only a bad dream is, in fact, a cruel reality…”

Ruby knows the jig is up. She’s never been good at lying, and attempting to lie to Weiss Schnee of all people is as futile as bringing a rusted spoon to a Grimm fight. But she had to try - for her sake, or for Weiss’s, she isn’t sure, but she knows she had to.

“Then you know why I’m doing this,” she sighs, fidgeting anxiously with the worn edge of her cloak, fingers playing nervously over a newly sown square of cloth.

“So that’s it?” Weiss asks, incredulously. “You’re just going to _roll over_ and play dead, and let my father have his way? You’re not even going to _try_ and fight for us!?”

Ruby fists her hair in frustration, bracing her skull between the palm of her hands, as if to somehow contain the pressure that had been building there since the day this all began. Eventually, she throws her arms up and cries, “What choice do I have? Do you honestly think that this is what I want? He’s going to take you back to Atlas, and there’s nothing I can do about it… nothing except bargain away my heart, and keep my distance. I can’t _be_ with you, but even just having you around… it’s _enough…_ ”

“And what? You think we can just go back to being friends after all we’ve been through?” Weiss seethes, knuckles bleaching as she grips the bed rail. “That everything will be all hunky-dory despite what it took for us to come together in the first place? Because if that’s the case, then you’re sorely mistaken. Do I even get a say in all this, or are you and my father just going to make all my decisions for me now?”

“No, that’s not…” Ruby protests, lowering her arms, “I’m not… trying to make any decisions for you… but the decision has pretty much made itself. Unless… unless you _want_ to go back to Atlas, which if you do, I-I wouldn’t stop you.”

Weiss stares, confused and taken aback; she’s never seen Ruby look so defeated, and the anger swirling in her gut ebbs and flows away, leaving sediment of curiosity and concern in its wake. “Why are you doing this?” she questions, voice gentle but firm. “The Ruby Rose that I know… the Ruby Rose that I _love_ … would never give up this easily. So what’s changed?”

“Nothing’s changed, Weiss-”

“Don’t lie to me,” she interjects, “Not again, and not about this. If you’re going to break my heart, then I should at least be allowed the courtesy of knowing why.”

Ruby tries and fails and to come up with some sort of excuse, only to sigh with resignation as she replies, “You died.”

“What?” If Weiss was expecting anything, it isn’t this. “I don’t understand…”

“You died,” she repeats, shaking her head as she rapidly blinks away the tears. “It was briefly - only a few seconds really - but your heart stopped, and you died. Because of me. Because I got lazy and let my guard down, and you took the hit that was meant for me. You literally gave your life to save mine, and this… this is the closest I’ll ever get to paying you back.”

Ruby offers a shy, weak smile, an awkward laugh escaping her lips as she finishes, “Because _you_ are _my_ life, and I would give you up if it meant that you got to live the life that you wanted.”

It is somehow both the stupidest and the sweetest thing that Weiss has ever heard, and for a time, she finds herself incapable of words. Instead, she simply stares, eyes wide and mouth agape, a dumbfounded expression writ all across her features. Ruby takes her silence for dismissal and turns to depart, stopped only as - in the last second - she's pelted in the back of the head by a (thankfully clean) pee cup.

“Sorry!” Weiss squeaks, hands clamped over her mouth in surprise. “I didn't know what that was. I just… I panicked, and I couldn't speak, and I just… I grabbed the first thing I could get a hold of, and I _swear_ I haven't used it!”

Ruby's face is an amalgamation of emotion, ranging from shock, to amusement, to disgust. She bends down and carefully plucks the small plastic container from the floor and slowly walks towards the bed, hesitantly leaning over Weiss as she returns it to the nightstand on the other side of her.

“You might need this later,” she says, lips twitching into a grin despite their situation.

“I-... thanks,” Weiss answers, face buried between her hands, cheeks burning with shame.

Ruby hums softly in response, leaning back as she makes her move to leave. But she's stopped once more, this time by the hand on her wrist, and she doesn't have it within herself to walk away again.

“Don't leave,” Weiss implores, tugging her arm until Ruby relents, taking a tentative seat on the edge of her bed. “Please, I know you're scared, and I know you think that by leaving me, you're somehow protecting me, but you're not. You're… you're _hurting_ me, and maybe I died and maybe I didn't. But I'm dying now - _right now_ \- at the thought of you breaking up with me over something as stupid and as shallow as my father's threats.

“I have money saved up from concerts I've performed, and royalties from songs I've written. It's money that my father can't touch, and though Winter doesn't make much on her military salary, she's promised to help support me through Beacon should he ever cut me off. There's also financial aid that I can apply for with the school, and… and just… please, we can make this work. I-”

It's Ruby that cuts her off this time, pressing her lips to Weiss’s and stealing the words she no longer needs to say. Soft but deliberate, their mouths meet over and over, pulling away only to come together - again, again, again. She'd been a fool to think she could ever walk away from this, stupid to come to her own conclusions without first consulting Weiss. Love was what brought them together, and love would not keep them apart.

Because their love was the kind that moved mountains. Or at the very least, very stubborn fathers... 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and reviews are appreciated!  
> Tumblr: the-effin-mitchell


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